Provence and the south of France
A walking tour for the curious traveler
“But the beauty is in the walking…” Gwyn Thomas
Join Let’s Explore! for a curated, culturally immersive experience featuring the enchanting cityscapes and lush landscapes of Arles and Avignon.
The city of Arles will enchant you with its Roman ruins, robust art scene, and Camargue inspired cuisine. Our three days here will include the world famous Saturday market, excursions to Les Baux (an imposing medieval fortress perched atop a cliff), and a riverside picnic at the famous Pont du Gard aqueduct.
Next, we will settle into glorious Avignon, whose historic center is a world Unesco heritage site. On our daily excursions, we’ll venture out to Isle-sur-la Sorgue’s Sunday market, St Quentin La Poterie, a lively village famous for its pottery and ceramics, and we’ll take you on a lovely riverside walk to the source of the Pont du Gard aqueduct in the Vallée de l’Eure.
We will spend our final day exploring the Chateauneuf du Pape vineyards and its surroundings, tasting fine wines and savoring gourmet artisanal chocolates.
Highlights include:
Roman UNESCO World Heritage sites including the Arles Amphitheater and the Pont du Gard aqueduct
The beautiful Palais des Papes in Avignon
Two of Provence’s best markets–Saturday morning market in Arles; Sunday market in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Natural wonders: Vallee de l’Eure, the source of the Pont du Gard aqueduct
Carrieres de lumieres in Les Baux-an immersive art and light show
St-Quentin-la-Poterie, a unique village made famous by its ceramic and pottery artisans
The renowned vineyards of Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Walks (not hikes) featuring the three C’s~ cityscapes, cafe’s, and culture!
Daily Itinerary:
Day 1 (Thursday) : Welcome to Provence!
Our walking tour of Arles begins with a panoramic view of the city and surroundings from the rooftop of the Luma tower. Designed and built by renowned architect Frank Gehry, the Luma tower takes much of its inspiration from Van Gogh, and his attempts to capture the Provencal light in his paintings. We’ll explore the tower and the grounds of the Luma art center, then take a leisurely stroll to Les Alyscamps, a legendary Roman necropolis that Van Gogh captured in one of his finest paintings.
Next, we will thread our way toward the center of town and take a look at St Trophime cathedral, and then continue our orientation walk to the Roman arena. We’ll stop for lunch at a cafe just steps away from the arena, the true center of Arles that is still used for bullfights throughout the year.
You’ll have the option after lunch of a shorter guided walk along the Rhone river, or taking some time for yourself before we meet early evening for dinner together at our friend Charlotte’s restaurant, where you’ll have a chance to savor a very regional cuisine inspired by the Camargue delta.
Dinner together~
The mighty Rhone river flows past the famous Roman arena in Arles.
We wanted to evoke the local, from Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' to the soaring rock clusters you find in the region. Its central drum echoes the plan of the Roman amphitheatre.
Frank Gehry about The Tower
Les Alyscamps, a legendary Roman necropolis in Arles
Van Gogh -Oil on canvas-1888
The medieval Château des Baux-de-Provence on the rocky outcrop…built 11th century.
Day 2 (Friday):
Today we’ll visit the medieval fortress town of Les Baux, a breathtakingly beautiful village perched atop the cliffs of the Alpilles (little Alps). Due to its strategic position, Les Baux was a medieval powerhouse, and the Lords of Les Baux commanded all of Provence for generations.
Our tour of Les Baux begins with a visit to a cavernous limestone quarry, Les Carrieres de Les Baux. Inside the cool spacious caves of the quarry you’ll enjoy a spectacular sound and light show. Past shows in the quarry featured the paintings of Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Monet.
We’ll follow our tour of Les Carrieres with a short walk uphill to the village, where we’ll take a tour and admire its medieval fortress. For our final excursion of the day, we'll plan a visit to an olive mill and a vineyard on the route back to Arles.
The robust red wines of Les Baux terroir are characterized by their deep red color and floral notes, and the olive oil of this region is considered by some to be the finest in the world.
Dinner together~
Trebuchets were often used in the battles to control the heights of Les Baux, for hundreds of years.
The Carrières de Lumières is an immersive, multimedia exhibit space for art.
The Gardon River flows under the Pont du Gard, a 1st-century Roman aqueduct bridge in Provence.
Day 3 (Saturday):
This morning after breakfast, we walk from our hotel to the famous Arles Saturday market, one of the best in France! Immerse yourself in the fragrant scents of thyme, rosemary, and lavender as you stroll past stands piled high with eggplant, olives, tomatoes, garlic and all the abundant foods that this rich agricultural region has to offer.
We’ll pick up picnic supplies then pile into the van for a shuttle to the Pont du Gard, a remarkably well preserved Roman aqueduct and Unesco World Heritage site. We’ll plan on gathering for a leisurely picnic by the river and you’ll have the opportunity to walk over the aqueduct and marvel at its ancient beauty. We’ll return to Arles after our afternoon picnic and you’ll have one last chance to take a leisurely stroll along the Rhone at sunset.
Dinner on your own~
Day 4 (Sunday):
Today we will continue our journey further north up the Rhone river, and our home for the next three days in splendid Avignon.
On our way to Avignon, we’ll plan a stop in Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue, literally translated as an island on the Sorgue river. It’s a lovely village often referred to as the Venice of Provence because of its meandering canals. Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is renowned for its Sunday antique market, one of the largest in Europe. We’ll plan to spend a couple of hours exploring the market, then gather for lunch before heading on to Avignon.
You’ll have a chance to relax at the hotel, then we’ll plan on a leisurely walking and orientation tour of the historical sights of Avignon, whose Palais de Papes (Papal palace) is a Unesco World Heritage sight.
Dinner together~
Situated on the Rhône River in southeastern France, Avignon combines its rich papal past with a modern, youthful atmosphere, thanks to its large student population and vibrant cultural scene.
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, famous for its pretty canals, amazing markets, and incredible brocante treasures.
The Vallée de l'Eure à Uzès is a serene park that offers visitors a glimpse into ancient Roman history.
Day 5 (Monday):
This morning you’ll have a chance to explore Avignon on your own while your guides gather picnic supplies for today’s outing. Our lunch destination is the Vallee de l’Eure, where we’ll visit a natural spring and the source of the Pont du Gard aqueduct. Constructed over 2,000 years ago, the aqueduct carried water from this location to the Roman city of Nimes, approximately 27 miles away. We’ll enjoy our picnic by the water then take a leisurely stroll on one of the countryside paths that follow the stream.
Before heading back to Avignon, we’ll plan a visit to St Quentin la Poterie, a thriving artist colony renowned for its artisanal pottery and ceramics. St Quentin will enchant you with its colorful buildings, doors, and pottery studios. During the middle ages, the popes from Avignon ordered their floor and wall tiles from the potters of St-Quentin. We’ll be back in time for you to explore more of Avignon.
Dinner on your own~
St. Quinten is a charming, artistic village in the Gard department of Southern France (Provence region), renowned for its centuries-old pottery tradition
Day 6 (Tuesday):
We’ll take a day trip for a wine tour of Chateauneuf du Pape, one of France’s most renowned wine villages in the lowlands of the Rhone river. The popes from Avignon established the vineyards in this region over 800 years ago, and the region continues to produce full bodied, spicy red wines and complex whites. Our journey begins with a small climb up the stairs to the remnants of the pope’s castle, where you’ll enjoy stunning panoramic views of the Rhone valley. We’ll plan on a leisurely walk through the village of Chateauneuf du pape, through small winding streets dotted with lovely fountains. We’ll take a tour of an artisanal chocolate shop which offers a number of short workshops where you can make your own chocolate or indulge in a wine and chocolate pairing. We’ll then head back to Avignon and gather early in the evening for our final dinner.
Dinner together~
Wine caves in Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Day 7 (Wednesday)
We will enjoy a last breakfast together, tell some stories laugh a bunch and say our goodbyes.
Let’s Explore! provides shuttle assistance for your return to Marseille airport or Avignon train station.